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Can this be for Real?
We know that reviews of our training can sound too good to be true. Yet for decades we have helped thousands of people from all walks of life transform their lives and the lives of others on all seven continents.
Being a certified ITMI International Tour Director is not for everyone, but if you happen to be the one, join our community and we will help you open doors to a wide range of travel careers.
Why Wait?
Ron | ITMI Graduate
This is the 3rd online course I have taken and by far, the absolute best. I’ve learned a lot about myself and want to thank each and every one of my instructors and fellow classmates for bringing things out of me that I didn’t know I had. We can be our hardest critics and hard on ourselves but from the very first day, I have looked forward to this class more and more. The support and encouragement is unprecedented. This is one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life! I highly recommend ITMI!
Karen | ITMI Graduate
I am filled with gratitude and enthusiasm for the invaluable knowledge and skills I have acquired. Your program exceeded my expectations in many aspects. Meticulous organization, professionalism, and genuine passion by the instructors. The program's well-structured modules covered a wide range of essential subjects, including historical and cultural insights, customer service excellence, crisis management, group dynamics, destination knowledge, and public speaking techniques…The courses were thoughtfully designed to foster an immersive learning experience, ensuring that I gained a profound understanding of the responsibilities and challenges faced by tour guides and tour directors. Even though most of the course was online, I must applaud the program's emphasis on experiential learning. The inclusion of simulated scenarios allowed me to apply the knowledge in a real-world context….Thanks to your unwavering dedication to excellence and the quality of education you provide, I now feel confident and well-prepared to embark on a rewarding career in the tourism industry. I am genuinely grateful for the invaluable experiences, friendships, and skills that I have gained through this program.
Jenna | ITMI Graduate
ITMI Graduate here from 2014! If you’re interested in being involved in travel and tourism, value having a great foundation of knowledge and - the best part - a community of colleagues who are there to help you succeed, then ITMI is where you should go! Definitely with the investment! No question. I was offered work within a month or two of graduating and have since started creating my own tours as well as working for other companies as a tour director and guide. ITMI truly is a launching point if you are serious about being in this industry. They are a highly respected institution and are a critical piece of the travel & tourism industry as a whole (and you won’t find a more caring and passionate community as ITMI Graduates!) I highly recommend ITMI!
Meenoy | ITMI Graduate
The day I read about ITMI and their travel director program, I felt a clear recognition and calling zing through my being. ITMI was the last bit I needed.. to continue on this ever-changing road to becoming a successful Travel Leader. Since graduating, I've landed travel jobs with 2 of the top tour companies! In 2021, I’ll be training and leading Riverboat Tours in Europe!
Molly | ITMI Graduate, Tour Operator & Recruiter
I had explicit instructions from my company that when I received a resume from someone who graduated from ITMI, they were immediately interviewed. That’s 100% true, if they come from ITMI you give them an interview. Resumes from ITMI graduates always moved to the number 1 position.
Jackie | ITMI Graduate
Wow, time certainly flies by! I can’t believe it has been 1 year since I met all of these wonderful people and embarked on this amazing journey becoming a tour director. I would never have imagined that in just 1 year I would be working with the dream company that I had my eyes on since before day 1 at ITMI. It's all because of the incredible encouragement and support and love I have received from my ITMI Family, Thank you, Thank you Thank you!
Antonio | ITMI Graduate
I wasn’t sure if I needed this training because I have been a Tour Director and Guide in Costa Rica for many years and I already have a 3-year degree in Tourism but this course - I don’t know how you did it - taught me so much more than I ever expected. From the instructors to my classmates, I improved all of my skills and I highly recommend this course to anyone who wants to become a Tour Director or Guide or anyone who already is in the industry. You need this class to take your career to the next level! Thank you ITMI!
Tara | Tour Operator & Recruiter Rick Steves Europe
I remember interviewing a wonderful woman who trained at ITMI, she was stellar and had wonderful domestic experience but her goal was to work with us internationally. I was so impressed by how she conveyed what she learned at ITMI to show how she could be an asset to our team, and we learned so much from her.
Arsen | ITMI Graduate
It took me a long time, I had such fear and doubts about taking this course…but the instructors teach you through their own experience and I was so inspired by them. It’s so much easier to learn when it comes from people that have been there and share their wisdom
Beth | ITMI Graduate
The single biggest takeaway I've discovered throughout this course is just how vast the travel industry is, and the number of ways you can make a career within it. Of course I knew you could be a local tour guide or a tour director on a motorcoach doing multi-day trips, but I never considered some of the other options discussed in this course. Working as part of MICE staff and filling my schedule working convention/incentive-type events, or similarly, working as a receptive operator full time or between other engagements. There really is something for everyone and a course like this is great for not only introducing those options, but doing so in a way that helps the student (me) start to figure out where I might best fit into it all.
Seth | ITMI Graduate
Celebrating 1 year anniversary from ITMI! In the past year I was a tour director through the Western National Parks and today I’m heading on a plane for my first tour in Europe. Thank you ITMI!
Jolie | ITMI Graduate
One of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Investing in training at ITMI changed my life and gave me access to a career that is challenging me and bringing me a whole lot of joy! Thank you ITMI!
Jessica | ITMI Graduate
I was at a crossroads and sick of settling…I wanted something of my own and this was the perfect fit, because I’ve been that guest on a tour and that tour guide changed my life.
Karen | Tour Operator & Recruiter
When hiring, I like to see a professional designation where you studied, like ITMI. Because so many people think being a Tour Director or Tour Guide is easy and that it’s just about leading a group of people. What I really like about ITMI is that it gives you the tools, especially if you are transitioning from another professional industry, to be able to represent a company as a professional and certified tour director.
Jean | Tour Operator & Recruiter
We hire most of our tour directors from ITMI. I love the training and the way that their resumes are put together. I’m a big fan of ITMI and hope you have more graduates so I can hire more tour directors!
William | ITMI Graduate
I taught for 5 years and I decided, thanks to the pandemic, to change careers. I had time to think about what I really wanted to do and it always came back to travel and teaching. And as a Tour Guide and Director I can combine my love of teaching with my passion for travel. I thought that I may be able to get into this career on my own but I had no idea the amount of preparation I needed to be successful. Thank You ITMI for preparing me, for supporting me and welcoming me to this amazing community!
Kristen | ITMI Graduate
I first decided to pursue this industry upon recommendation of a good friend of mine who used to work for the tour company, Collette. The more I researched, the more my excitement grew. During my semester studying abroad in Italy, I realized that the more places I went, the more there was still yet to discover. I couldn't get enough. I was the girl in our group studying Wikipedia before every side trip, so I could learn as many details as possible. In my opinion, it's the details and history of each place that makes it unique and memorable. I carefully documented these details, along with the beauty of architecture, the splendor of nature, and the richness of different cultures, so that I could share them with loved ones back home. What could be better than to turn this passion into my life's work!
Samantha | ITMI Graduate
I’ve been searching for 10 years since I graduated college, to find something that felt like it fit and something that I would love. And ever since I started the class, it’s been confirmation that I found my people, I found what I needed to be doing and I can do it - even though I was scared because I’m an introvert - but knowing that many of my instructors were also introverts helped me to know that I can do this, they made me feel courageous!
Jordan | Tour Operator & Recruiter, Onward
What I like most about ITM and their candidates is the network, the community they have built. I get excited to see new classes graduate because I know they are about to be welcomed into a great organization and that they have had this amazing training before they come to us to be hired.
Leslie | ITMI Graduate
10 years ago when I started traveling internationally with guided tours, it gave me the idea that I could do something like that, become a Tour Director. Then with the pandemic, it gave me time to think and decide I could make a career change, I could do this. Why not give people the same joy and amazing experiences that Tour Directors and Tour Guides gave me all of these years. But how? So I asked them, how do I do what you do? They always gave me the same answer…go to ITMI!
Pete | ITMI Graduate
I’ve been a Tour Guide and Director for years, but I joined the ITMI training in 2021 because I wanted to know the ‘right way’ to do tours. When you want to know the right way of doing things you go to people who know their stuff and can back it up with their reputation! ITMI has the best reputation because they have great instructors, great people, a great community and it was totally worth it!
Elli | ITMI Graduate
I think the biggest thing this training has done for me, is show me that this is absolutely the right decision for me. It’s given me life these last few months to be with these instructors and fellow classmates who have become such close friends. This gets me out of bed in the morning, I can’t wait for this to be my full time life!
Pejman | ITMI Graduate
Before coming to ITMI, I had more than 20 years experience as a Tour Director and Tour Guide internationally, but when I started sending out my resume to tour companies for new opportunities, I received no response back. I just wanted to try to get an interview. But then I met an ITMI graduate, she told me that in order to be connected, I needed to go to ITMI and after she graduated herself she was immediately hired, even though she had no previous experience. But I was still unsure because I thought that they were only going to teach me things I had already learned over my 20-year career. But after deciding to take the ITMI course, I realized that I wasn’t presenting myself professionally, they showed me that and so much more. Now my resume, with the ITMI Certification behind it, gets me the interview. I’m so grateful and so happy I made the decision to become an ITMI graduate and now I have back-to-back tours. It’s all because of ITMI.
Shannon | ITMI Graduate
I was at a point in my life where I no longer had a passion for my teaching career and it felt like my soul was dying. And I really questioned whether this was it for me, could I ever really find something I was passionate about again. I spoke with a graduate named Liz and she told me about ITMI and her amazing experience since graduating. This class has made me feel alive and during the training I started feeling confident about myself again. I can’t thank ITMI enough for not only the support during the class and after but knowing that ITMI and this incredible community has my back.
Skye | ITMI Graduate
Of course the ITMI training is first class, but what you don’t realize when you join is that you really need a community out there while tour directing and guiding. It’s the things like, what happens if your motorcoach breaks down, or you need help with an issue or just when you need someone to talk with who understands this unique career. That is the secret sauce of ITMI. It’s the community, we are a family and we support each other, we always have each other’s back.
Megan | Tour Operator & Recruiter, Colette
We love coming to ITMI for our hiring needs because this is how we get great Tour Managers to travel the world for us and we really like that our experienced Tour Managers that are ITMI graduates, come back to mentor the new graduates each year.
Jeremy | Tour Operator & Recruiter, Holiday Vacations
What really sets ITMI graduates apart are two things. First is the vetting that ITMI does initially during the interview process. They do not accept everyone and I think people incorrectly assume that they do. Second is the rigorous training process, and although we have a training process at our company as well, the ITMI graduates are more successful and fast track through our training. They are simply a step above everyone else. That’s why we hire more ITMI graduates and send them all over the world.
Joana | ITMI Graduate
I was an archaeologist before I came to ITMI. I wanted to continue to travel all around the world, so that was important when I was selecting a new career. The biggest gift for me as a tour director is to be able to provide these amazing experiences to people. To be there to experience their wonderment and joy, that’s priceless!”
Scott | ITMI Graduate
“Today was my last day in the office at my current job and I have been reflecting on the events of the last four months. It has been a bit hectic having one foot in my “old life” while trying to prepare for my “new life”, and yet it has been very exciting and rewarding too.You really taught, led, and empowered us in so many ways. We still have so much to learn and yet, we have such a wonderful foundation on which to anchor that learning. A very heartfelt and sincere thank you to each and everyone who helped teach me and my fellow classmates. It is so very much appreciated.”
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